2012 Conference | Center for Railroad Photography & Art

2012 Conversations about Photography

Photo by Richard Steinheimer, whose widow, Shirley Burman Steinheimer, will discuss his life and work at the 2012 conference.

Illustration by painter Tom Fawell, a presenter at the 2012 conference.

April 13-15 at Lake Forest (Illinois) College

Wanted: Your Best Shot

New in 2012 will be photos from conference attendees. On Saturday, we will include a short presentation featuring one photograph from every attendee. We will show your photo, along with your name and hometown. You may submit any photo you like, so long as you are the creator. Just send a high-quality JPEG file (1200 pixels high) to info [at] railphoto-art [dot] org.

David Plowden Print

You could win a print by David Plowden. The renowned photographer has agreed to donate one print from his new book, Requiem for Steam. Purchase raffle tickets in advance (at left) or at the door. Plowden himself will draw the winning ticket and present the print on Saturday.

Friday, April 13

Friday will again feature a social hour, photography exhibition, dinner, and keynote address by Drake Hokanson, an emeritus professor at Winona (Minnesota) State University, where he teaches part time while doing photography, editing, and writing. Presenter Joel Jensen from Ely, Nevada, will display work from his new book, Steam: An Enduring Legacy. Center staff members John Gruber and Scott Lothes contributed essays.

Saturday, April 14

Shirley Burman Steinheimer, Sacramento, California, headlines an impressive slate of presenters. She was the wife of legendary railroad photographer Richard Steinheimer, who passed away May 4, 2011. Shirley will share his photographs and discuss their travels together on California’s Donner Pass.

Other highlights include Tom Fawell, West Chicago, a painter who created the captivating artwork for EMD diesel locomotive ads in the 1960s and 70s, and railroad executive and photographer Henry Posner III (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), chairman of the Railroad Development Corporation. Bill Botkin of Centennial, Colorado, will present a retrospective of his black-and-white photoographs of railroads around the world. Co-founder of the railpictures.net website Chris Starnes, Gate City, Virginia, will talk about his site’s and the Internet’s impacts on railroad photography. Chris Goepel, Larkspur, California, will examine the intersections between railroads and America’s highway culture.

The day will conclude with a reception in the college’s elegant Glen Rowan House, featuring an exhibition of gelatin silver photographs by presenter Bill Botkin, a master black-and-white printer. Each print will be available for purchase. Sunday’s presenters—Steve Crise and Joel Jensen—will both sell and sign copies of their recent books, along with David Plowden.

Sunday, April 15

Sunday morning’s sessions will include workshops and discussions with professional photographers Steve Crise of Los Angeles and Joel Jensen of Ely, Nevada. Jensen’s photography exhibition will again be available for viewing.

Lodging

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Lake Forest Mettawa (map). Single rooms are $70/night, plus tax, while rooms with two beds are $80. This special rate is availabe by calling the hotel at 847-735-8374 and mentioning the railroad photography conference.

Become a Patron

If you feel strongly about the conference, the Center, and its mission, consider becoming a conference patron. In addition to tickets for all three days of the conference, your name will be printed in the special commemorative program and you will receive three tickets for the Plowden print raffle. Use the Paypal link at left.

About the Prices

Prices have increased over last year to keep pace with catering and other costs. While the conference is foremost a time to talk about railroad photography with other practitioners, scholars, and admirers, it also serves as a fundraiser for the Center. Ticket prices on Friday and Saturday allow us to cover our costs, and nothing more. Those costs include catered meals and drinks, as well as travel expenses for speakers. Other events throughout the weekend help the Center raise funds to help us operate for the rest of the year—enabling us to fulfill our mission of preserving and presenting significant images of railroading. We welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions (see contact information at left), and we will make every effort to accomodate you.

Central Pacific Big Fill near Promontory, Utah. Photo by Drake Hokanson.